Report: Rolls-Royce Cullinan Really Won’t be an SUV

Rolls spokesman says vehicle will be different from what's available today

Rolls-Royce has insisted on calling its upcoming model based on Project Cullinan a "high-bodied car." The brand's refusal to use the term "SUV" has been amusing, but there may actually be a reason, besides snobbery, behind Rolls' choice of words.

Speaking to Motoring, Rolls-Royce's global product communications manager Andrew Boyle said the company has its reasons for not referring to the new model as an SUV.

"Project Cullinan? We call it a high-sided vehicle. SUV is not necessarily the right thing to call it because it's not sports, it's not necessarily utility," said Boyle. "A number of other brands are entering into this area as well, with their own interpretations of what a luxury SUV should be. You'll have to wait to see what we decide it should be, but I think you'll find that it'll be a different interpretation to what's available today."

Boyle is of course referring to the Bentley Bentayga, which will be the production Cullinan's closest competitor, though it retails for roughly half of the Rolls' expected $400,000 price tag. Bentley isn't nearly as reluctant to call its product an SUV, because it is an SUV. Boyle says the results of Project Cullinan will reflect the brand's heritage, which could hint at something genuinely car-like, in line with what we predicted when Rolls first announced the new model last year. Motoring suggests the vehicle could be more like a "high-riding luxury wagon." Though Rolls has never offered a wagon body style from the factory before, coachbuilders like Radford have been converting Flying-Lady-adorned sedans into wagons for years.

As we've previously reported, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan will ride on a new aluminum architecture that will also underpin the next Phantom. Both cars are expected to arrive in 2018, with the Phantom rolling out first and the Cullinan later in the year. It's unknown what will power the Cullinan, but the 6.6-liter twin-turbo V-12 found in the Wraith and Ghost sounds likely to us.